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<div class="gmail-inner-article-top"><h1 class="gmail-">Al-Tanf: The US stronghold in Syria and how it safeguards Israel </h1><p class="gmail-">The
US coalition's mission against ISIS quickly transformed into a broader
strategy to occupy parts of Syria, with the Al-Tanf base being crucial
for securing influence and supporting Israeli interests amidst
increasing local resistance.</p><div class="gmail-another-name"><p><a href="https://thecradle.co/authors/haidar-mustafa" style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">Haidar Mustafa</a></p></div><div class="gmail-another-name" style="margin-top:16px"><p><span style="color:rgb(84,88,94)">DEC 2, 2024 - </span><font size="1"><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/al-tanf-the-us-stronghold-in-syria-and-how-it-safeguards-israel">https://thecradle.co/articles/al-tanf-the-us-stronghold-in-syria-and-how-it-safeguards-israel</a></font></p></div></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-img"><img src="https://thecradle-main.oss-eu-central-1.aliyuncs.com/public/articles/ad4cccd0-b0d0-11ef-ad18-00163e02c055.webp" alt="" width="394" height="186" style="margin-right: 0px;"><span>Photo Credit: The Cradle</span></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-content"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col-md-8 gmail-col-sm-7"><div class="gmail-article-content"><span><p>On 10 September 2014, the US announced the formation of an <a href="https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-political-affairs/bureau-of-counterterrorism/the-global-coalition-to-defeat-isis/#:~:text=On%20September%2010%2C%202014%2C%20the,Iraq%20and%20Syria%20(ISIS).">international coalition</a> with the participation of 86 countries to eradicate the terrorist group ISIS, which had <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28082962">declared</a> the establishment of a “caliphate” in late June. </p><p>The
coalition's operations began in Syria and Iraq in early 2015. However,
what unfolded was more than just a campaign against terrorism; it became
a vehicle for advancing US strategic ambitions in West Asia – including
the establishment of <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/the-other-occupation-us-forces-in-syria">illegal military bases</a> to secure influence and resources in eastern Syria, primarily to protect the interests of its key ally, Israel.</p><p><strong>Exploiting the war for geostrategic gains</strong></p><p>Washington
leveraged the anti-ISIS campaign to pursue broader geostrategic goals,
deploying roughly 2,000 troops into Syria – an occupation that violated
international law and Syrian sovereignty. By 2016, US forces had
established a presence at <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/3239">Al-Tanf</a>,
a strategically important base located at the tri-border area between
Syria, Iraq, and Jordan. This position, south of the Euphrates River,
overlooks a critical supply route from Tehran to Damascus and Beirut,
which the US views as significant for regional control.</p><p>The
Al-Tanf base was originally established in 1991 before the Second Gulf
War, reactivated during the 2003 Iraq invasion, and then closed after US
forces consolidated control in Iraq. It reopened in 2016 after ISIS was
driven from the area.</p><p>Since then, Al-Tanf has served not only as a
training ground for fighters of the CIA-backed Maghawir al-Thawra but
also as a cornerstone of broader US interests, as Colonel Daniel
Magruder Jr. noted in a 2020 <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/al-tanf-garrison-americas-strategic-baggage-in-the-middle-east/">Brookings Institution report</a> entitled <i>Al Tanf garrison: America’s strategic baggage in the Middle East</i>. </p><p>According
to Magruder, Al-Tanf was meant to facilitate the continued fight
against ISIS, counter Iranian activities, and maintain leverage in
negotiations over Syria's future.</p><p>However, the base's role went
far beyond these stated goals. US occupation forces at Al-Tanf engaged
in both offensive and defensive intelligence operations while also
supporting armed groups against the Syrian government. </p><p>The base
acted as a hub for the Military Operations Center (MOC), a joint effort
with several states aimed at coordinating military activities in
southern Syria, ultimately undermining Syrian sovereignty and its
allies.</p><p><strong>The real strategic goal: A buffer zone for Israel</strong></p><p>Beyond
its military role, Al-Tanf's strategic location supports plans for a
controlled buffer zone involving the nearby Rukban refugee camp.
Military expert Major General Muhammad Abbas told <i>The Cradle</i> that this buffer would help US and Israeli objectives by creating a physical barrier between Syria and Iraq. </p><p>The
base also facilitates Israeli operations in Syrian airspace, providing a
logistical advantage for air force missions that circumvent Syrian air
defenses. The collaboration between the US and the occupation state has
been well documented, with Al-Tanf serving as a launching point for
Israeli air strikes deep inside Syria – attacks that would be far
riskier from other approaches due to Syrian anti-aircraft systems.</p><p>A 2021 report by the <a href="https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/future-al-tanf-garrison-syria">Washington Institute</a> highlighted how the US occupying presence at Al-Tanf has directly benefited Israel, supporting its “<a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/24198">battle between wars</a>” – a strategic approach aimed at minimizing risk and exploiting weaknesses in Syrian defenses. </p><p>Speaking to <i>The Cradle</i>,
political analyst Bassem al-Shehawi notes that the US presence in Syria
has always aligned with safeguarding Israel, whether by severing
geographical links between members of the Axis of Resistance or by
deploying advanced radar and air defense systems to protect Tel Aviv’s
interests.</p><p><strong>Al-Tanf’s importance for the US and Israel </strong></p><p>Crucially,
it also facilitates Israeli air force attacks on targets deep inside
Syria – attacks that could not have been carried out from above Lebanon
or the occupied Golan Heights due to the distance involved. Since 2018,
when Syrian air defenses <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/2/10/israeli-f-16-jet-shot-down-by-syria-fire-says-military">shot down an Israeli F-16</a>, Israeli forces have completely avoided entering Syrian airspace from the western side.</p><p>Shehawi
adds that this base's importance comes from its buffer zone and air
umbrella, which have a radius of 55 kilometers. These were established
due to the non-conflict understanding between Russia and the US
regarding Syria. The base also played a role in confronting drone and
missile attacks launched by Iran during <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/27113">Operations True Promise 1 and 2</a>,
whether by providing radar monitoring or attempting to shoot them down,
similar to the role played by other US bases in Syria and the wider
region. </p><p>A report published by <i>Al-Monitor</i> also confirms
that Israeli fighter planes had previously used the corridor along the
Jordanian–Syrian border and the airspace around Al-Tanf to penetrate
Syrian airspace to launch strikes.</p><p>The significance of Al-Tanf was
evident during the presidency of Donald Trump, who often spoke of
pulling US troops out of Syria. However, the situation on the ground was
more nuanced. Even as Trump made public declarations about <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/the-terrorism-pretext-a-us-isis-kurdish-nexus-preserves-us-occupation-of-syria">withdrawing troops</a>,
officials within his administration, including former National Security
Advisor John Bolton, ensured that key positions like Al-Tanf remained
secure. Bolton stated that any withdrawal from Syria would be
conditional on an agreement with Russia to replace US forces at Al-Tanf,
thereby ensuring that Israeli security interests were safeguarded.</p><p><strong>The future of the US occupation of Syria </strong></p><p>With
Trump poised to return to the White House next month, questions have
resurfaced about the future of American military involvement in Syria.
The expectation is that despite any renewed rhetoric about reducing
military involvement, Al-Tanf will remain a key asset in maintaining US
influence in Syria and the region.</p><p>In 2023, former Chief of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/syria-mission-is-worth-the-risk-top-us-general-says-after-visit/6989941.html">visited</a>
Al-Tanf, emphasizing its importance for Israel's security and
confirming that there were no plans to withdraw. Al-Tanf will likely
continue to play a key role in Washington’s West Asia strategy, even if
it reduces its presence elsewhere in Syria. </p><p>The base serves as a
strategic card – enabling continued influence, fostering instability,
and complicating the region's dynamics. Yet, a critical question
remains: How sustainable is the US presence at Al-Tanf, given the
growing resistance? With <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/us-army-intensively-surveils-iraq-syria-border-to-stifle-resistance-report">Iraqi and local Syrian factions</a> increasingly targeting US positions, Washington's ability to maintain control over Al-Tanf may weaken. </p><p>In
time, Syria might leverage its own “Popular Resistance” to apply
pressure, forcing US forces to eventually leave Syrian territory, as
indicated earlier in the year with the <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/syrias-arab-tribes-revolt-us-bases-and-allies-become-prime-targets">tribal uprising</a> in Deir Ezzor.</p></span></div></div></div></div>
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